Perr Schuurs had a basic place on Tuesday evening in the match between Fortuna Sittard and Ajax, because Jurriën Timber had to drop out shortly before the kick-off with stomach complaints. Erik ten Hag believes that the 21-year-old center defender has played a good game against his old club. The Ajax coach still sees a lot of potential in Schuurs, who according to him was the best player on the side of the Dutch Juniors during last summer’s European Championship.
“Perr has played everything in preparation, but was injured against Leeds United,” says Ten Hag at the press conference after Ajax won 0-5 in Sittard. Schuurs has so far played three official games this season. “If he hadn’t been injured, he would have played against PSV in the Johan Cruijff Scale. That was annoying for us, the consequences are known. But also for him. Timber has come to that position, he already did an excellent job there last season.”
“He plays very strong, so you have to close at the back of the row. Perr was able to play half a game against Cambuur, now a whole one. He does that properly,” continues Ten Hag. “If you see how Timber has developed compared to the spring, that is of course excellent. That one has an edge. But I thought Schuurs was the best defender of the Dutch Juniors at the European Championship. He clearly showed his potential there, also for the top.” Schuurs played all matches at the European Championship, where the Dutch Juniors were eliminated in the semi-finals by the later winner Germany.
Ten Hag shares less positive news about Davy Klaassen at the press conference. The 28-year-old attacking midfielder returned with groin complaints from international obligations at the the Dutch squad, where he kicked off in the games against Norway, Montenegro and Latvia. “That process is not going the way I would like yet. So I have no prognosis when he will return.”